Problems Arising
Picture Imperfection
“Boys, time for dinner!!” Hyangsuk shouted from the kitchen. Donghwa and Donghae ran like lightening downstairs. Hyangsuk chuckled, “At least I know that hasn’t changed.”
The two sat at the table and immediately dug into the food. Hyangsuk calmly followed suit as she started eating.
The dinner table was a little quiet. Donghae still seemed a bit uneasy about Donghwa’s sudden visit. He says he’s there to see him, but Donghae’s not 100% sure.
Suddenly, the phone rang. Hyangsuk politely got up and went to go answer it. While she was in the other room, Donghae took this as his chance.
“So why exactly did you come here?” Donghae asked, venom filling his voice.
“I told you, I–”
“Cut the crap, I know you’re not here just to visit” Donghae glared at his older brother.
“You’re not as dense as I thought, you’ve impressed me” Donghwa smirked. “But do you remember a girl that stands about 164cm; long, chestnut-brown hair; has a pretty eye-smile...?”
It dawned on Donghae who he was talking about, “Why are you brining her up?”
Before Donghwa answered his question, the doorbell ringing practically answered it for him. Hyangsuk had just hung up the phone and she ran to the door.
She opened the door and was shocked to see the person on the other end. “Do I know you from somewhere?”
“Auntie Hyangsuk, how do you not remember me?” the girl brightly smiled as she walked in the door.
‘Oh no’ both Hyangsuk and Donghae thought the moment they heard her voice.
Donghwa smirked and Donghae looked like a deer in headlights. “Hwajin...” Donghae muttered.
“Oppa, it’s been so long!” Hwajin squealed.
‘What is she doing here?! Is this why Hyung is here?’ Donghae thought as he was being engulfed in a bone-crushing hug.
“It’s nice to see your shining face in so long” Donghwa smiled.
“Likewise, Donghwa-oppa” Hwajin kept smiling.
“May I ask why you’re here?” Donghae asked, sounding harsher than he intended.
The look on Hwajin’s face seemed to drop. She grabbed Donghae’s wrist and led him to the front door. The two stepped outside and sat on the steps. “You don’t seem very happy to see me” Hwajin pouted.
“To tell you the truth, I’m not” Donghae bitterly replied.
“Why did I half-expect that?” Hwajin smiled sadly.
“Half?” Donghae questioned, “Did you really expect me to be happy to see you and take you back?”
“Actually, I did, oppa” Hwajin looked up at him.
“Cut the crap, I know this is an act” Donghae snapped.
Hwajin recoiled in shock, but she knew he was right. “Why did you move?” she asked without the squeakiness in her voice.
“Appa wanted me to go to a special school here in Seoul” Donghae answered as he looked across the street at Tessa’s house.
Hwajin followed his gaze and was disappointed when he was staring at just a house. “Is that so? What is that special school exactly?”
“To explain: it’s sort of like being a trainee at an entertainment company, but it’s in the format of a school” Donghae answered.
“Can anyone enroll?” Hwajin asked.
Donghae shrugged, “I honestly don’t know, but what I do know is that appa suggested me to the school before he passed away”
Hwajin seemed to be pondering something. “Do you guys have concerts like the idols do?”
“We do. We put on live performances from time to time. There’s even a competition in the school for a duet performance. I was really surprised I won with my partner” Donghae unknowingly smiled just as Tessa walked out of her house with her appa.
They both had ball gloves and they started playing catch with a softball. “Who was your partner?” Hwajin sounded a little jealous.
Donghae pointed across the street. “That beautiful girl across the street”
Hwajin’s gaze shifted to Tessa and she glared. “I don’t think so…”
“Her looks don’t necessarily matter, it’s her heart that’s beautiful” Donghae poetically replied. “That’s something you don’t have”
Hwajin froze, then she got angry, “Why are you being so rude?!”
“How is being truthful rude?” Donghae genuinely questioned as he stared at her. His attention then diverted to Tessa and Junghee across the street.
Junghee had turned his head towards Donghae’s house because he heard yelling. He was a little shocked to see a pretty girl sitting beside Dongahe, but since there was yelling…
Donghae awkwardly waved at Junghee who somewhat awkwardly waved back. “They look nothing alike”
Donghae looked up at Hwajin who glared at the two. “Your point? Is there anything wrong with not looking like your appa?”
“What about her umma? I bet she’s just adopted trash” Hwajin spat.
“OKAY!!” Donghae stood up in anger.
Hwajin stood up as well, “Why do you like her so much?! She doesn’t like you and she’s not even your type!”
“How do you know what my type is?!” Donghae started retaliating.
That was when Tessa turned her attention to Donghae. She noticed the girl standing next to him… but both of them were fuming.
Junghee noticed that her grip on the softball tightened. He took a few steps back and got into position, “Bring the heat, Tessa-yah”
Tessa turned back to her appa and nodded. She used all of her current rage and reared back and threw the ball.
A loud ‘thwack’ sound resonated the entire neighborhood and Donghae and Hwajin looked towards her. The sound kept repeating and Donghae understood why. ‘She’s either pissed at Hwajin for yelling at me, or she may be jealous… or possibly both’ Donghae thought before turning back to Hwajin.
“I may not have known your true intentions, but I would much rather you stay back in Mokpo than ruin my life here.” He started, “And you shouldn’t judge a person before you get to know them. I never did that to her nor you… if you’re looking to get back together, it’s hopeless at this point”
Before Donghae could turn to walk inside his house, Tessa walked across the street and stood in front of them. “Is she bothering you?” she asked in a somewhat cold tone.
“Yes actually” Donghae answered her.
Tessa looked at Hwajin carefully, ‘This must be Hwajin… Donghwa told me about her. After that tantrum five minutes ago… she can’t be trusted’
“And now you’re bothering us… so if you’ll leave–” Hwajin tried pushing her away.
“I live across the street; you live across the country. I think it should be obvious who should leave” Tessa said with a sugar sweet smile.
Donghae chuckled as Hwajin looked appalled. “You’re the outsider here… I highly suggest you leave me alone” Donghae told Hwajin.
Hwajin was fuming as she glared at Donghae, “But you love me, oppa. I know you do!”
“Correction: I loved you. I’ve already moved on from the pain you caused me” Donghae glared back at Hwajin.
Tessa started to feel a little awkward in their quarrel, but she knew she needed to be there to prove a point. “What makes you think Donghae would continue to love someone who hides their true selves?” Tessa asked.
Hwajin didn’t have an answer. Tessa knew she cornered her and Donghae saw it too. Donghae was about to say something until Hwajin slapped Tessa.
It was sickeningly quiet with the three before Tessa’s soft chuckles echoed. “You don’t love him… you only love the idea of him”
“What?” Hwajin was extremely confused.
“You have your own image of him wrapped up in your head: An image of him as perfection. Hate to break it to you, but he isn’t perfect. He has his flaws just like you do.” Tessa stared straight into Hwajin’s eyes and told her the cold hard truth. “You can’t expect someone to act just like in your fantasies and dreams, it doesn’t work that way. You either accept their flaw, or just don’t bother with them. I suggest you leave before I open up a can of whop- on you”
Hwajin stared at her with challenging eyes. When Tessa saw an opening, she did a sweep kick and quickly flipped her over. After that, Tessa just walked back to her house.
Donghae looked down at Hwajin, “Tessa’s not a person you should mess with, especially when you first meet her. Once you make a bad first impression, it’s hard to change it. You may or may not see it, but I fell for her hard and didn’t even know it”
With that being said, Donghae walked back into his house and never once looked back at Hwajin.
~~~~****~~~~****~~~~ ~~~~****~~~~****~~~~
It was a casual Wednesday morning and everyone was restless in Mr. Jung’s class. They haven’t had a solid dance project in a while and now was the time to work on it.
“Alright class, it’s been a while since we’ve had a simple dance project. So let’s go with a simple solo project… BUT the kicker will be: you have to be able to teach the whole class your routine” Mr. Jung explained.
Some of the class started cheering while others just groaned. “Your dance only has to be about one minute max so calm–”
“Sorry to interrupt your class, but we’ve got a new student joining you” the secretary, Mrs. Hwang, opened the door slightly.
“Welcome to the class” Mr. Jung greeted with a bright smile.
The students turned their heads but Tessa and Donghae were the most shocked out of everyone.
‘What’s she doing here?!’ Tessa and Donghae thought.
“Please introduce yourself” Mr. Jung politely said towards the new girl.
“Anyeonghaseyo, my name’s Park Hwajin. Please treat me well” Hwajin flashed a seemingly innocent smile.
Tessa glanced at Donghae worriedly but noticed he seemed a little calm. She decided to leave it at that for now… but she wasn’t going to let her guard down.
Enter an antagonist! Took about 19 chapters for one to appear, but it's my story. :P
Donghae's ex from Mokpo enters the story and Donghae doesn't seem too happy about it. I personally don't think anybody would. Tessa and Donghae still don't seem on common ground, but Donghae said it himself, he fell for her.
What could happen now that Hwajin is now in this strange picture? Could Hwajin possibly draw Donghae and Tessa closer? I've seen it happen in other stories... could it be in mine?
Find out next time!
Currently listening to: Break Down - Super Junior-M (Where was this song last chapter? Damn ipod...)
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